Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi has signed into law the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Bill.
The Bill which was signed into law was geared at assisting in addressing macro and micro cases of corruption in governance to free resources for service delivery.
With the establishment of the State Anti-Corruption Commission, the governor stated that no case of corruption would be overlooked at the state and local government levels.
Backing up the bill with the establishment of the commission he vowed to do justice to all categories of people irrespective of their social and economic status.
The establishment of the Anti Corruption Agencies and other Agencies at sub-national level, he believed, would provide employment opportunities for youth, thereby addressing security challenges associated with unemployment in addition to handling cases of corrupt practices and mismanagement of resources.
The governor, who The Trumpet noticed to be visibly elated while assenting to the Bill, said “today marks another milestone in the drive of our government towards entrenching transparency and accountability in governance.”
Adding that the “establishment of the Bauchi State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission which is backed by a bill that I have just signed into Law is part of the effort of our administration to take advantage of the Federal structure of our country as enshrined in the Constitution, that gives States the latitude to replicate functions that are also performed by Federal government Agencies.
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Citing the already existing Federal and State Governments Agencies that play complementary roles in service delivery in both the social and economic sectors, he charged those assigned with the responsibility of making the newly established law see the light of the day to be up and doing.
Example of such agencies, as enumerated by him includes the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and State Contributory Pension Scheme (SCPS), etc.
The replication in the States of Agencies that also exist at the Federal level would greatly reduce the burden on the Federal Agencies, thereby making them more effective and efficient.
“Similarly, the State Agencies being close to the people and more conversant with their local culture, tradition and terrain are better placed to handle local issues, especially in the areas of security, investigation or prosecution of offences,” the governor said.
On their part, the members of the State House of Assembly, who spoke through the Deputy Speaker, Dallami Ahmed Kawule, said the lawmakers have conducted public hearings on the establishment of the Commission before its passage.
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